Since being established 10 years ago, the Internal Market Information System (IMI) has helped make it easier for EU citizens to live, work and do business in another EU country.
The multilingual online tool allows for faster, smoother and more efficient cooperation between authorities in different EU countries, ultimately improving lives of Europeans.
Since 2008, it facilitated over 110,000 information exchanges between authorities, on topics such as the provision of services, applications for the European Professional Card (EPC) and the recognition of professional qualifications.
Ahead of a conference organised today by the Commission, Commissioner Elżbieta Bieńkowska, responsible for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs said: “An efficient Single Market is key for growth and prosperity in the EU. We must make the most use of the latest digital technology to speed up administrative procedures and lighten burdens. The IMI has been essential to do this for 10 years now and for the last two years has been a major factor in the success of the EPC. It could also serve as a supporting platform for new innovative tools aiming to facilitate movements of service providers across the EU, such as the e-Card“.
Today the Commission also published an assessment of stakeholders’ experience with the EPC and the alert mechanism procedures. Launched in January 2016, the card has been available for five very mobile professions (nurses responsible for general care, pharmacists, physiotherapists, mountain guides and real estate agents) who want to work in another Member State.
The alert mechanism requires EU countries to warn each other through the IMI about professionals working in the fields of health or education of minors who have been prohibited or restricted from practice in one EU country. The assessment shows that the EPC and the alert mechanism have further enhanced safe professional mobility and provided added value compared to traditional recognition processes. Stakeholder feedback also confirmed that the alert mechanism strengthens cooperation and trust among national authorities for safe mobility of professionals.
See more information on the IMI system and EPC statistics.
